TM- Analysing an opening sequence

The Hole (2001)

Genre

This film Belongs to the Teen Horror Genre. I know this because of the characters that are used in this film. They are all late teen showing that this film is aim at teens and is within the teen genre. When watching this opening I am intrigued to watch more. This is because of the tension that is built up with in the character fulfils the generic expectations of the text using little to no sounds and keeps the focus off the characters face. The text conforms to the characteristics of the genre in to ways. The first is the setting which is used. The setting is a school showing that this film is based around children or teenagers. The other characteristic is the girl that screams down the phone. It is obvious from the Mise-en-scene used that she is a young woman. Her features are quite young which suggested the genre of the film.

Film Language

The Mise-en-scene is used in the extract is to create mystery within the narrative. She is wearing a masculine looking coat which is covered in mud and leaves, showing that she has had some trouble or pain in the recent past. The setting is very rural with no cars or people present at this time. The setting is common in a horror film because she is alone in a very empty place with little help from anyone. There is also a school which looks very old and scarey. The shot sizes, in this extract, convey a sense of mystery about the girl and the place they are in. There is a shot where there is selective focus. We can see a poster on the wall of a missing child and in the background out of focus we can see this girl walking down the road. This may show the audience that she is the missing girl. Sound is used in this piece to create tension. The sounds are distant and very strange showing that there is a hidden meaning behind her walking. There is little to no dialogue in this sequence so we don’t learn anything about her as yet. But towards the end of the sequence she screams down the phone suggesting a hidden meaning to the story. This non-verbal language is used to intrigue the audience.

Narrative

Within the narrative the tension is created by the silence of the character and setting. There is little to no sound from either. The Narrative is structured in a very strange way. As it would appear the action has already happened so the audience then asked themselves what has happened to her and why? This technique is common in the genre and many films because it is intriguing. The major themes of the narrative are missing children. There are posters all over the road and walls all asking “Have you seen these people” This creates the theme of the whole film, missing people. The diegetic and non-diegetic sound create the tension in this extract. Footsteps and eerie music are the reason why this extract is so affective.

Representation and ideology

In this extract there is only one character. It is hard to put an ideology to her because she is so mysterious. But from what I see she could be the typical loner girl that doesn’t have many friends. I only can see this because she is on her own and she looks like she doesn’t take care of her self. And from watching the rest of the film it is quite apparent that this is the case. No social groups are represented in this piece this is because there is only one character so it would be hard to find a social group that is represented.


Media Audiences

The certificate is an 18 which gives the target audience of late teens early twenties. The audience can gain a sense of tension about the start of this piece. The uncertainty of the extract only makes it more interesting to watch for most people. As a young millennial and a teenagers I like this extract, the director has made it so there is little story line at the start making it much easier to watch for me and many others. The realness of the scream is really terrifying and creates the story line off it.

Institutional context

The bankable star that has been used is Kieran Knightly. She is an A list star that is very well known throughout the film industry. This is important because it sets the standard of the film straight away meaning it will encourage more people to watch it. The studio that produced it was Pathé Movie Company this is an industrial film company. They have a trailer and poster for the film.

GD: Film Treatment

The film starts with several images of compressed showing girl#1 applying her make up starting with her lips then continuing to show the make up application of her eyes During this sequence the audience will be able to see a photograph of girl#1, girl#2 and a boy all together. This photo allows the audience to understand the relationship of the characters in the film and this is the first we see of the other characters in the film. Also whilst girl#1 is applying her make up there is a song playing in the backgroud. It will be this song that is used as a sound bridge between the two locations. The next shot is the first time we see girl#2 however she is dead in the stream with make up running down her face and evidence of a struggle is present. We hear the same song that was being played in the background of girl#1 but now the sound is muffled and much quieter as is it was being played through headphones. It is only now that we see the boy standing over the girl while breathing heavily this would possibly connote to the audience that the boy was the killer. However during this time there is a flash back and the the audience almost goes into the thought of the boy which is when the audience see the dead girl and the boy as a happy could and the boy and the girl applying her make up arguing or possibly breaking up this may therefore changes the audiences opinion on who the killer may be. It is after this that the credits being and the film starts.

W had some ideas for the rest of the film that the film could be recorded as if the boy was the killer however the film develops we find out that it was girl#1 that had killed girl#2 and this was her way to try and regain the relationship that she had, had with the boy before he broke her heart.

GD: Film Location

I had this an idea for the location of our film because I believe that it looks how want our film location to look as well as conforming to the stereotypes of a horror movie especially if we used the "gothic" style fountain in some of the shots.

SL - Treatment for opening sequence

We have not yet decided on a title for our film but we have a number of possibilities:
Stream
Resentment
Spite

As we have chosen the genre of Teen Horror, our opening sequence will portray typical conventions of this genre. These conventions include love, jealousy, romance, hatred and betrayal.

The establishing shot of the film is set in girl#1s bedroom. She is infront of the mirror and behind her is a photograph of the 3 main characters (2 girls and one boy). The first image we see is an XCU of her bare lips taking up 2 thirds of the screen so that the picture behind her can be seen in the other third of the screen. Time is then compressed whilst she applies lipgloss to her lips. It then fades to black and gradually zooms out of the girls eye from the black pupil and stops when her eye fills the screen. Time is compressed again whilst she applies makeup to her eye. It fades to black again and then the same thing happens with the other eye and it then zooms into her eye right up to the pupil and the screen goes to black again. Throughout the application of the make-up the girls whole face is never seen and music is playing quietly in the background. The camera then slowly zooms out of girl#2s eye. Her make-up is smudged and her eyes are lifeless. We can hear faint breathing and the sound of the song that was played in girl#1s room playing from girl#2s ipod headphones. The camera zooms out slowly, the music getting fainter and breathing heavier. It becomes apparent to the audience that the girl is lying dead in the river, her clothes a mess and make-up down her face. She is soaked and covered in mud. A point of view shot is then used from a mysterious figure (the boy from the photograph) and a handycam is used as if he is looking at the girl through his eyes. The breathing is deep and heavy. It then pans round the boy 360degrees and then to the side of his face which is in shadow. It zooms into his eye and into the pupil and goes black. He then has a flashback which is in a noir style as it is black and white. The screen is split into 2. The image on the left is the boy and girl#1 arguing in a room. The image on the right is the boy and girl#2 together meeting up for a date looking extremely happy. During this flashback, undecided music is played. The flashback stops and the screen fades to black. There is a MLS of the girl in the river again from the boys POV and we hear the boy breathing. His breathing gets slower. He then brings his hands up to the camera as if he were putting them to his face and covering his eyes. The screen fades to black and we hear the boy breathing for a few seconds. It goes silent and the title and credits appear in green connoting jealousy.

GD: Film Analysis - Wrong Turn

Genre:

This film belongs to the teen horror genre. While watching this genre the audience expects to see a character or storyline that they can relate to as well as sequence of horror or the building tension. Within the opening sequence of "Wrong Turn" (2003, Rob Schmidt) we see two people in their late teens early twenties rock climbing which however turns sinister within a short period of time when one of the pair finishes the climb and is killed by an unknown character whose laugh is the only thing we hear. This opening sequence fulfills the audiences expectations. The text in this sequence conforms to the characteristic of the genre because you are placed alongside with the character and are builing up tension and not mocking the genre.

Film Language:
The mise-en-scene in this sequence conveys meaning because we see the deserted location that should be an area of peace and tranquility when a small occurance turns it into a sinister location with a different mean. Also the use of the rope shows the weakness of the girl however by seeing her struggling with rope and trying to free her self it help the build tension for the sequence. There are lots of long shots which are used to show the vulnerability of the climbers as the audience can see how hight up the two characters are. There are also extreme close up of the girls hands and feet when she is climbing to show that she is struggling and finding it a challenge. The are also close ups of the rope machanism when the girl is being pulled up to building tension and show she is not in control. The sound used anchors the fear that the character is feeling as we hear the fear in her voice and the screams which is an aural signifer of the horror genre. From the characters dialogue we learn that the typical genre stereotypes are fulfilled as the male is confident and sees his friends struggling as a joke and has a relexed approach when she asks for his help. The female character plays the damsel in distress as she is not only struggling with the rock climb but she is screaming for help and wailing in fear.

Narrative:

Within the narrative the tension is created by the screaming of the girl when she falls the first time and then again when she is being pulled by the rope mechanism as screams are often associated with fear and danger. Tension is also created by the noise of the rope mechanism because the girls life is potentially under threat if she is pulled to the top of the rock face therefore by focusing on that sound tension is created. Within the opening sequence the sound is the one thing that we know about the killer of the young male therefore this creates tension as we associate this sinister laugh with danger and fatalities. From the dialogue we are positioned not to like the male as he finds his friends struggle amusing and therefore the audience may to feel a connection to this character however we are made to pitty the girl because of her whimpering and "pathetic" noises.

Representation and Ideology:

In this opening clip we see the typical American "jock" character being represented as we see a male who is pysically fit and attractive taking part in a sporting activity with a pretty girl who is relying on him to help her to the top of the rock face. We also see the typical damsel in distress who is relient on her male counter part for support. However ironically at the end of the sequence it is the "jock" that gets murdered by completing the rock climb first and the female who manages to save herself save from the same fate as her friend.

Media Audience:
The target audience would be young adults as the films certifcate is an 18 however I think it may appeal to those slightly younger i.e. the teen market because they could imagine themselves in the same situations as the characters within the film. I personally enjoyed this opening because althouth there was clearly a death it was not to graphic however I think that a slightly older male who appriciate a more graphic and obviously bloody death scene however I don't think that would work as well to build tension throught the film.

Institutional Context:

Eliza Dushku starred in this film which may have been important it gaining an audience as she as starred in other successful teen movies which would appeal to a similar audience. This film was distributed by an industrial company (20th Century Fox) which could have proved vital for the success of the film.

TM- Mood Board.

SL - Analysis of opening sequence

Dog Soldiers (2002)

Genre:
The genre of this film is action/horror.
When watching a horror film the audience expects suspense and then action that provokes their fears. The audiences generic expectations are fulfilled by this opening sequence as tension is built when the couple in the tent see the zip slowly opening and then horrific action occurs when the beast outside kills the woman and the blood is splattered on the man.
The text conforms to the characteristics of the genre as it meets the generic expectations in many ways such as:
Lighting – darkness and lit by a full moon
Characters – ordinary people
Action – horror and death occurs

Film language:
Mise-en-scene conveys meaning in this sequence as it is set in a deserted place in the dark. It is common for an ordinary object to become the centre of the action and the slow unzipping of the tent is what creates the tension and suspense. There is also a visual link between the zip of the woman and the zip on the tent.
Techniques:
Mid shots are used to show the two characters together and make it obvious that they are a couple.
When the couple are in the tent and the zip starts to open, the camera slowly moves closer to show their expressions and the terror on their faces.
Handy-cam shots are used when the woman is dragged out of the tent to place the audience in the action.
Sound anchors the images as we hear the diegetic sound of the zip opening as we are watching the couple. This sound bridge makes the audience wonder what the noise is and there is then a motivated cut to the zip being undone. The ominous and quiet music also creates an atmosphere.
When the zip is being undone there is no dialogue. This shows that the characters are extremely scared. They also tense their bodies and a MCU of the two characters shows their worried facial expressions.
The director uses the visual technique of a full moon. A full moon can often be associated with wolves and other terrifying aspects. This also shows that it is dark outside and late at night enhancing the atmosphere.

Narrative:
The narrative is simple as we simply see a couple on a normal camping trip in Scotland. Then, unexpectedly, a creature comes along and kills the woman. There is no twist to the narrative in this opening sequence it is completely straight forward.
The audience is positioned with the couple as they are the first people that are introduced as characters and the audience hears their conversation and intimacy.
We can identify with the couple as we see them talking and being together for a while. The creature that kills the woman is alienated as it is unfamiliar to the audience and a killer.
There are three major themes in the narrative:
Love
Fright
Death
Tension is created and maintained as when the couple are in the tent they hear the noise of something outside and the zip slowly unzips with the audience waiting in suspense to see what is outside. The tension is then maintained as the audience does not know if the creature is going to leave the man next or kill him too.

Representation and ideology:
There are no social groups in this sequence, although there is a couple.
It is obvious that the couple value their love as they are evidently alone together on a trip and this is also seen through their intimacy in the tent.
The man is shown as protective over the woman as he tries hard to pull her back from the creature that is trying to kill her.
Again, in terms of semiotics, the full moon could connote danger or bad luck. In some stories and films, werewolf’s come out when the moon is full.

Media audiences:
The target audience is for older teenagers as it is rated a 15 in most countries including the UK.
The audience can gain a sense of horror from this as they know that a woman is being killed as they see the blood splattered on the mans face. Although it is not too horrific as the killing is not seen.
As a British teenager, i enjoy this type of horror film as the audience is aware of the action although the gore is not seen. The suspense of the zip opening is captivating and enticed me into the film. However, a male of a slightly older age may prefer a slightly more graphic opening where everything is seen and there is immediate action.

Institutional context:
No bankable stars have been used in this film. However, this may enable the audience to focus more on the action and the characters in the film than the person playing them.
The film was produced by Kismet Entertainment Group who are an independent film production company. The main objective of the Kismet Entertainment Group is to create unique, cutting-edge amusement.
The film has a trailer, poster and website.